Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
expanded for surface transportation (Amtrak), general aviation, several cities and states around the
country, and now the lodging industry. With the assistance of AH&LA
s Loss Prevention Committee,
DHS has created public education materials for industry employees, including posters, table circulars
and paystub inserts. It is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness of indicators of
terrorism, crime, and other threats, and emphasize the importance of employees reporting suspicious
activity to their supervisors and, in turn, to security or law enforcement authorities.
The need for Terrorism Awareness Training Courses developed by the Department of Homeland
Security, directed toward hotels,
'
is but one more clear indication that
finding ways to counter
terrorism
has become an integral part of our daily lives. Nowhere is the signi
cance of terrorismmore
important than in tourism. Because we, in the tourism industry, are encouraging the members of any
population to travel on a discretionary basis, we have a special obligation to do all we can to take every
step possible to provide travelers with security.
Why do terrorists attack tourism centers? According to The Futurist,
18
terrorists seek out tourist
destinations for four primary reasons:
1.
An attack on a tourism center is an attack on a nation
'
is entire economy
—
a fact that further
emphasizes the economic signi
cance of tourism.
2.
Tourism is highly media-oriented
terrorism seeks publicity, and tourist attractions like sporting
events and festivals are likely to have media already at the site.
—
3.
Tourist attractions such as museums, historic sites, and beautiful scenery represent the spirit and
essence of a nation.
4.
Tourist spots provide terrorists with relative anonymity. Police and security professionals rarely
know the identities or motivations of visitors at sites and events.
As a consequence increasing security will be a must for airlines, hotels, restaurants, and other
tourism services. Furthermore, security experts in the travel industry must address the possibility of a
suicide disease carrier seeking to infect an entire population.
The tourism industry must, however, go beyond mere security management and put in place a
crisis management
system that is capable of dealing with a wide range of catastrophes.
19
Examples of
recent tourism-related crises include:
Britain: foot-and-mouth disease in cattle
&
Cuba, Haiti, and Florida: the advent of earthquakes and successive major hurricanes
&
China: SARS
&
Bali: nightclub bombing
&
Egypt: Luxor killings of tourists
&
Thailand: avian (bird)
flu and the threat of it spreading to humans
&
Asia: tsunamis
&
Europe: volcanic ash from Iceland
&
Terrorism affecting tourism has become so serious that costly efforts to develop missile warning
systems and expendable decoys to protect commercial aircraft against shoulder-
red missile attacks
are now taking place.
THE TOURIST OF THE FUTURE
The above sections dwelled on how technology may alter tourism facilities, products, and services
—
and indeed, the travel experience itself. In the meantime, the tourist who seeks to enjoy the
experiences offered will also be changing. What changes can we expect?
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